Word Document opening with wrong Application

[Alex Hammerstein]

Hi,

Hi I am running

OS X10.5. Office 2008 and had to install OpenOffice 3.1 onto my computer.
I then wished to uninstall it, and dragged it to the trash and emptied.
however, whenever I receive a Word (docx) file by email, and try to open it,
OpenOffice is opening it - how when I have uninstalled it?

I saved the Word document and right clicked to open it and Open Office is
showing as the default application to open it. I selected Open With >
Application and selected Word from the Office 2008 application, remembering
to check the always open with this application check box, and the document
opens with Word.

However next time I try and open the same document it is using OpenOffice
again

If I create a Word docx file I have no issues, it is only with files sent to
me via email, and which I know have been created using Office 2007 on a PC.

Does anyone know how to resolve this problem and get rid of OpenOffice once
and for all?

Thanks

Alex

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Alex:

You haven't "uninstalled it" You have dragged it to the trash: that is
an old OS 9 trick, but it does not "uninstall" most software in OS X.

To Uninstall, you would need to run the OpenOffice Uninstaller if they
provide one (they should have provided one with the installer).

To fix this, simply re-run the Office 2008 installer. It won't actually
"install" anything, since the software on your hard disk is newer than the
software on the CD, but it will correct the entries in the Launch Services
Database, which will fix the problem for you.

I can't remember whether the Office 2008 CD forces you to uninstall when you
do this. If it does, simply let it continue, then re-install and re-apply
Updates 12.2.0 and 12.2.3 from the Microsoft website when it has finished.

Cheers

Hi,

Hi I am running

OS X10.5. Office 2008 and had to install OpenOffice 3.1 onto my computer.
I then wished to uninstall it, and dragged it to the trash and emptied.
however, whenever I receive a Word (docx) file by email, and try to open it,
OpenOffice is opening it - how when I have uninstalled it?

I saved the Word document and right clicked to open it and Open Office is
showing as the default application to open it. I selected Open With >
Application and selected Word from the Office 2008 application, remembering
to check the always open with this application check box, and the document
opens with Word.

However next time I try and open the same document it is using OpenOffice
again

If I create a Word docx file I have no issues, it is only with files sent to
me via email, and which I know have been created using Office 2007 on a PC.

Does anyone know how to resolve this problem and get rid of OpenOffice once
and for all?

Thanks

Alex

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi John;

According to the instructions on the OpenOffice.org site dragging the
application file to the Trash is the proper removal method. There is no
removal utility such as there is for MS Office. I've done it here
successfully. Later trying to open an ODT file by dbl-clicking its icon
produces an OS X error alert that the "default application cannot be found".

If OO is still launching on Alex's system there must be more to the issue. I
believe he must still have an installation of the software which hasn't been
removed... A backup copy, perhaps. I don't know if a live copy in Time
Machine might not be the source of the problem. If that's the case
reinstalling MS Office will most likely do no good, will it?

Alex:

Perhaps it would be worth while to first do a thorough search for any other
instances of OO - even on other drives where they may exist. Make sure you
delete them all, then (although it really shouldn't be necessary) Restart
the Mac just to be on the safe side. It might also be a god idea to run Disk
Utility - Repair Disk Permissions. If a DOCX file continues to balk use the
Get Info method on that specific file & include the "always open with".

Should that still not correct it, run the other Disk Utility feature to
Verify Disk [not Verify Disk Permissions]. If any errors are found start up
from your Leopard Source Disk & run Disk Utility - Repair Disk -- or use a
comparable utility such as Disk Warrior or TechTool Pro if you have one.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Alex Hammerstein]

Hi Both and thanks for your post.

I have just found out what the issue was.

I had an old Previous System folder on my drive which had guess what still
in installed in applications, and clearly that was what being launched.
Removed that and everything is now behaving itself impeccably.

I am still getting used to a mac, and hadn't realised that applications from
previous system installations would launch!

Thanks for your help and pointers

Alex

Hi John;

According to the instructions on the OpenOffice.org site dragging the
application file to the Trash is the proper removal method. There is no
removal utility such as there is for MS Office. I've done it here
successfully. Later trying to open an ODT file by dbl-clicking its icon
produces an OS X error alert that the "default application cannot be found".

If OO is still launching on Alex's system there must be more to the issue. I
believe he must still have an installation of the software which hasn't been
removed... A backup copy, perhaps. I don't know if a live copy in Time
Machine might not be the source of the problem. If that's the case
reinstalling MS Office will most likely do no good, will it?

Alex:

Perhaps it would be worth while to first do a thorough search for any other
instances of OO - even on other drives where they may exist. Make sure you
delete them all, then (although it really shouldn't be necessary) Restart
the Mac just to be on the safe side. It might also be a god idea to run Disk
Utility - Repair Disk Permissions. If a DOCX file continues to balk use the
Get Info method on that specific file & include the "always open with".

Should that still not correct it, run the other Disk Utility feature to
Verify Disk [not Verify Disk Permissions]. If any errors are found start up
from your Leopard Source Disk & run Disk Utility - Repair Disk -- or use a
comparable utility such as Disk Warrior or TechTool Pro if you have one.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi Alex:

You haven't "uninstalled it" You have dragged it to the trash: that is
an old OS 9 trick, but it does not "uninstall" most software in OS X.

To Uninstall, you would need to run the OpenOffice Uninstaller if they
provide one (they should have provided one with the installer).

To fix this, simply re-run the Office 2008 installer. It won't actually
"install" anything, since the software on your hard disk is newer than the
software on the CD, but it will correct the entries in the Launch Services
Database, which will fix the problem for you.

I can't remember whether the Office 2008 CD forces you to uninstall when you
do this. If it does, simply let it continue, then re-install and re-apply
Updates 12.2.0 and 12.2.3 from the Microsoft website when it has finished.

Cheers



--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

Thanks for the confirmation - glad all is back on track

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi Both and thanks for your post.

I have just found out what the issue was.

I had an old Previous System folder on my drive which had guess what still
in installed in applications, and clearly that was what being launched.
Removed that and everything is now behaving itself impeccably.

I am still getting used to a mac, and hadn't realised that applications from
previous system installations would launch!

Thanks for your help and pointers

Alex

Hi John;

According to the instructions on the OpenOffice.org site dragging the
application file to the Trash is the proper removal method. There is no
removal utility such as there is for MS Office. I've done it here
successfully. Later trying to open an ODT file by dbl-clicking its icon
produces an OS X error alert that the "default application cannot be found".

If OO is still launching on Alex's system there must be more to the issue. I
believe he must still have an installation of the software which hasn't been
removed... A backup copy, perhaps. I don't know if a live copy in Time
Machine might not be the source of the problem. If that's the case
reinstalling MS Office will most likely do no good, will it?

Alex:

Perhaps it would be worth while to first do a thorough search for any other
instances of OO - even on other drives where they may exist. Make sure you
delete them all, then (although it really shouldn't be necessary) Restart
the Mac just to be on the safe side. It might also be a god idea to run Disk
Utility - Repair Disk Permissions. If a DOCX file continues to balk use the
Get Info method on that specific file & include the "always open with".

Should that still not correct it, run the other Disk Utility feature to
Verify Disk [not Verify Disk Permissions]. If any errors are found start up
from your Leopard Source Disk & run Disk Utility - Repair Disk -- or use a
comparable utility such as Disk Warrior or TechTool Pro if you have one.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi Alex:

You haven't "uninstalled it" You have dragged it to the trash: that is
an old OS 9 trick, but it does not "uninstall" most software in OS X.

To Uninstall, you would need to run the OpenOffice Uninstaller if they
provide one (they should have provided one with the installer).

To fix this, simply re-run the Office 2008 installer. It won't actually
"install" anything, since the software on your hard disk is newer than the
software on the CD, but it will correct the entries in the Launch Services
Database, which will fix the problem for you.

I can't remember whether the Office 2008 CD forces you to uninstall when you
do this. If it does, simply let it continue, then re-install and re-apply
Updates 12.2.0 and 12.2.3 from the Microsoft website when it has finished.

Cheers

On 27/11/09 9:07 PM, in article C7355563.15459%[email protected], "Alex

Hi,

Hi I am running

OS X10.5. Office 2008 and had to install OpenOffice 3.1 onto my computer.
I then wished to uninstall it, and dragged it to the trash and emptied.
however, whenever I receive a Word (docx) file by email, and try to open
it,
OpenOffice is opening it - how when I have uninstalled it?

I saved the Word document and right clicked to open it and Open Office is
showing as the default application to open it. I selected Open With >
Application and selected Word from the Office 2008 application, remembering
to check the always open with this application check box, and the document
opens with Word.

However next time I try and open the same document it is using OpenOffice
again

If I create a Word docx file I have no issues, it is only with files sent
to
me via email, and which I know have been created using Office 2007 on a PC.

Does anyone know how to resolve this problem and get rid of OpenOffice once
and for all?

Thanks

Alex


--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Alex:

Well done Once you get used to the Mac file system a little more you
will learn that "a file does not go away until you empty the Trash".

That's the same as on Windows, but Mac OS can launch files and use
preferences from inside the Trash itself, which is different to Windows.
Mac has two names for a file: the English name we see, and a "globally
unique identifier" that the system maintains. Programs use the GUID which
has caught me out a few times

I can have a program open, delete one of its files, then re-launch the
program, only to find that it's still using the file in the trash

Cheers

Hi Both and thanks for your post.

I have just found out what the issue was.

I had an old Previous System folder on my drive which had guess what still
in installed in applications, and clearly that was what being launched.
Removed that and everything is now behaving itself impeccably.

I am still getting used to a mac, and hadn't realised that applications from
previous system installations would launch!

Thanks for your help and pointers

Alex

Hi John;

According to the instructions on the OpenOffice.org site dragging the
application file to the Trash is the proper removal method. There is no
removal utility such as there is for MS Office. I've done it here
successfully. Later trying to open an ODT file by dbl-clicking its icon
produces an OS X error alert that the "default application cannot be found".

If OO is still launching on Alex's system there must be more to the issue. I
believe he must still have an installation of the software which hasn't been
removed... A backup copy, perhaps. I don't know if a live copy in Time
Machine might not be the source of the problem. If that's the case
reinstalling MS Office will most likely do no good, will it?

Alex:

Perhaps it would be worth while to first do a thorough search for any other
instances of OO - even on other drives where they may exist. Make sure you
delete them all, then (although it really shouldn't be necessary) Restart
the Mac just to be on the safe side. It might also be a god idea to run Disk
Utility - Repair Disk Permissions. If a DOCX file continues to balk use the
Get Info method on that specific file & include the "always open with".

Should that still not correct it, run the other Disk Utility feature to
Verify Disk [not Verify Disk Permissions]. If any errors are found start up
from your Leopard Source Disk & run Disk Utility - Repair Disk -- or use a
comparable utility such as Disk Warrior or TechTool Pro if you have one.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi Alex:

You haven't "uninstalled it" You have dragged it to the trash: that is
an old OS 9 trick, but it does not "uninstall" most software in OS X.

To Uninstall, you would need to run the OpenOffice Uninstaller if they
provide one (they should have provided one with the installer).

To fix this, simply re-run the Office 2008 installer. It won't actually
"install" anything, since the software on your hard disk is newer than the
software on the CD, but it will correct the entries in the Launch Services
Database, which will fix the problem for you.

I can't remember whether the Office 2008 CD forces you to uninstall when you
do this. If it does, simply let it continue, then re-install and re-apply
Updates 12.2.0 and 12.2.3 from the Microsoft website when it has finished.

Cheers

On 27/11/09 9:07 PM, in article C7355563.15459%[email protected], "Alex

Hi,

Hi I am running

OS X10.5. Office 2008 and had to install OpenOffice 3.1 onto my computer.
I then wished to uninstall it, and dragged it to the trash and emptied.
however, whenever I receive a Word (docx) file by email, and try to open
it,
OpenOffice is opening it - how when I have uninstalled it?

I saved the Word document and right clicked to open it and Open Office is
showing as the default application to open it. I selected Open With >
Application and selected Word from the Office 2008 application, remembering
to check the always open with this application check box, and the document
opens with Word.

However next time I try and open the same document it is using OpenOffice
again

If I create a Word docx file I have no issues, it is only with files sent
to
me via email, and which I know have been created using Office 2007 on a PC.

Does anyone know how to resolve this problem and get rid of OpenOffice once
and for all?

Thanks

Alex


--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]